Craft store helping dress girls around world

By Molly Phipps / mphipps@shelbystar.com

Published: Thursday, March 28, 2013 at 09:25 AM.

Imagine a world in which every little girl owns at least one dress. That's the world the Dress a Girl Around the World organization (DAG) is striving to create, with the help of sewers across nations, from Nova Scotia to Australia to Japan.

Here in our own corner of the world, sewers in Shelby are doing their part to make that world happen. Recently, the Rag Bag partnered with the Dress a Girl program to become an ongoing collection site for dresses in our area.

Through May 31, the Rag Bag will collect dresses for girls in Uganda. In July, Lisa Ward, our state's representative, will travel there to personally deliver them. After that, the Rag Bag will begin collecting dresses for the next trip.

Joanne Fisher, owner of the Rag Bag, was introduced to DAG by her friend, Cheryl Ryan. While looking for a pattern for pillowcase dresses, Ryan found a blog called Sew Delightful, which is operated by the Washington representative for DAG.

“When I found out about DAG, I asked Joanne if I could make one of these dresses and display it,” said Ryan, “Joanne met Lisa and fell in love with the program.”

Fisher said she has always loved doing children’s ministry at her church, but couldn’t participate while working. Through DAG, “I found my new ministry,” she said.

Imagine a world in which every little girl owns at least one dress. That's the world the Dress a Girl Around the World organization (DAG) is striving to create, with the help of sewers across nations, from Nova Scotia to Australia to Japan.

Here in our own corner of the world, sewers in Shelby are doing their part to make that world happen. Recently, the Rag Bag partnered with the Dress a Girl program to become an ongoing collection site for dresses in our area.

Through May 31, the Rag Bag will collect dresses for girls in Uganda. In July, Lisa Ward, our state's representative, will travel there to personally deliver them. After that, the Rag Bag will begin collecting dresses for the next trip.

Joanne Fisher, owner of the Rag Bag, was introduced to DAG by her friend, Cheryl Ryan. While looking for a pattern for pillowcase dresses, Ryan found a blog called Sew Delightful, which is operated by the Washington representative for DAG.

“When I found out about DAG, I asked Joanne if I could make one of these dresses and display it,” said Ryan, “Joanne met Lisa and fell in love with the program.”

Fisher said she has always loved doing children’s ministry at her church, but couldn’t participate while working. Through DAG, “I found my new ministry,” she said.

'Response has been phenomenal'

The Rag Bag launched its collection drive Jan. 21.

“The response has been phenomenal,” said Fisher. The group now has 122 dresses.

“There’s been at least 10 a week, all the way up to size 14,” said Ryan.

Fisher said sewing pillowcase dresses is not difficult.

"It’s a good beginner project," she said, "It’s all straight sewing."

Even if you don’t sew, there are opportunities to help. You can donate money to the program or supplies for dresses. You can also donate a dress kit for $10 for someone else to sew.

Someone's thinking of them

Lisa Ward said she got involved with DAG after seeing an article in a newspaper about the rising pregnancy rate in Haiti. Many girls there had no clothes to wear. Ward said it was about the dignity of having something to wear but also "protecting them from predators.”

Each dress from DAG has a purple label on it with the DAG emblem.

"When people see that (label), they think the girl is associated with an organization and they leave her alone. So she is less likely to be brought into human trafficking," said Ryan.

Ward said on trips to deliver dresses, they go from village to village.

"We bring them out and individually dress each girl, putting the dress over what they have on already, affirming them, and telling them how beautiful they are," she said. Ward said it lets the girls know "that someone in America thought of them and loved them."

'It's easy to help'

Since the program's inception, it has grown in leaps and bounds.

"It grows itself. We are constantly working, getting more engagement from social media. Facebook is a huge engine that drives this. It's easy to help," said Ward, who has sewn more than 600 dresses.

"The first time you go and see a little girl without clothes, you’d do it 1,000 times over," she said.

What is Dress a Girl Around the World (DAG)?

-DAG is a division of Hope 4 Women International and was founded in 2006. Both organizations are part of Hope 4 Kids International, founded in 1973.

-To date, DAG has delivered more than 164,000 dresses to 61 countries. Each of the dresses was sewn and donated by an individual.

-The pillowcase-style dress was chosen for two reasons: there are no buttons or zippers to replace and the loose-fitting dresses can grow with the girls.

-Find out more on DAG’s website: www.dressagirlaroundtheworld.com or by emailing Lisa Ward, DAG's N.C. representative, at littledressesnc.gmail.com.

How you can help:

-Buy a kit at the Rag Bag and sew a dress. Or visit DAG’s website to find out how.

-Make a group for your friends, church, or club and sew dresses together.

-Donate supplies at the Rag Bag. Supplies start at just 25 cents. Or donate a dress kit for $10.

-Donate directly to DAG’s website.

-Buy an American Girl doll dress for $10 at the Rag Bag or a dress pattern for $5. All proceeds help DAG's NC representative deliver dresses.